First Responder Relief Fund disbands

Mission accomplished: $118K distributed in aftermath of October fires.|

Following the devastating firestorms that occurred in October 2017, community members and organizations expressed interest in donating financial assistance to those Sonoma Valley first responders, current and retired, who had sustained losses.

A total of $118,600.15 was disbursed to first responders from the “First Responder Relief Fund.”

These first responders included members from Sonoma Valley Fire, Schell-Vista Fire, Glen Ellen Fire, Mayacamas Fire, Kenwood Fire, Sonoma Sheriffs and Santa Rosa Police. To facilitate the distribution of these donations, the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association established the “First Responder Relief Fund.”

A special committee of Chief Steve Akre, Joe Neely, Maci Jerry, Gary Johnson, Bill Harper and John Keane was formed to establish criteria for distribution of monies to recipients.

The fund’s first disbursement was made prior to the 2017 holiday season. Payments were based on $1,000 for a partial property loss and $2,000 for a total property loss. This initial distribution included 29 first responders with 20 receiving $2,000 and nine receiving $1,000, for a total of $49,000.

Prior to the second disbursement, the committee met and refined criteria based on actual needs, rating each on a severity loss scale of one to ten. This took into account those recipients who declined further assistance or had donated the first disbursement elsewhere, a total loss of home and property, total loss of possessions, smoke/fire damage to property, loss of accessory structures, loss of travel trailers/trucks or loss of items such as tools.

The committee also decided not to accept any more donations to the First Responder Relief Fund effective Feb. 15. Contributors were informed that any donations after this date would go toward the “Projects Fund” which is used for firefighter training, fire department equipment purchase, and community outreach programs.

On March 12, a second disbursement was made from donations that had been received since the first disbursement.

This disbursement included 22 first responders.

This second disbursement was equal to the remaining fund balance of $69,600.15.

The fund is now closed and the special committee disbanded.

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